I know it’s been a while since I have talked about the
different types of blood cancers. Thus far I have only covered Leukemia and
today I am going to talk about Multiple Myeloma. Did you know that MM is not
only a blood cancer but can cause problems for the bones? The bone can become
so weak that everyday activities such as walking, lifting, or sneezing can
cause a fracture.
MM is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are made from B
cells, the white blood cells that are present in the bone marrow. Healthy
plasma cells are a part of the immune system. Healthy plasma cells are a part
of the immune system and makes proteins called antibodies. MM develops when
plasma cells have mutated. MM is a relatively a rare blood cancer but it seems
as though more people are getting diagnosed with the diseases especially
younger people. When I say younger I am speaking people under the age of 50
because it generally occurs in adults over 50. As mentioned I was 32 when I was
diagnosed and the youngest that I know, which was a survivor story on my blog
was under 18. It typically affects more men than women but being a part of many
facebook groups it seems as though statistics are changing. Obviously some
updated studies need to be conducted. Doctors are not sure the cause of MM. Researchers have studied the DNA of plasma
cells and have found that almost all people have a genetic abnormality in their
plasma cell.
Some signs and symptoms of MM include:
Bone pain, fatigue, weakness due to low blood count (anemia),
and frequent infections due to weakened immune system. Doctors use the acronym
CRAB to describe the symptoms.
Calcium elevation
Renal insufficiency(kidney)
Anemia (low red blood cell counts)
Bone abnormalities (lesions)
Out of these symptoms, bone pain is typically the most
common. The pain is usually constant pain and worsened by movement. MM can be a
debilitating disease that causes damage to the bones. There is a chemical
called cytokine that dissolve the bone and inhibits cells that form bone. As a
result of this is lytic lesions can form and bone thinning (osteoporosis). The
bone can become so weak that everyday activities such as walking, lifting, or
sneezing can cause a fracture. It can even be so debilitating that some people can't even walk anymore. In addition, people affected with MM may fatigue
more easily and feel weak. This typically comes from the anemia due to the low
red blood cells.
Unlike most cancers, MM has only 3 stages, with 3 being the
highest of course. Chemotherapy and radiation aren’t the only therapies that a
patient with MM may receive. Based on your stage your doctor will go over with
you what options are best for you. Make sure you do your own research and ask
questions. When you are initially diagnosed it can be overwhelming and you may
not remember everything. So I will pass on a suggestion that was giving to me,
record your conversation so you can refer to it later. Some of the therapies
that your doctor may suggest is a high dose chemo, auto or allo stem cell
transplant (there will be more details about this in another post), and clinical
trials.
After regular chemo and the transplant, there is still need
for maintenance therapy. Some ongoing maintenance therapies are Revlimid,
Velcade, etc. How long you will be on this medication is up to your doctor and
your situation. It may be 2 years, 3, or indefinite. MM isn’t curable but it is
treatable; therefore, the maintenance drug helps with keeping the relapse at
bay. There are a lot of medications that can cause kidney failure so make sure
that you are drinking adequate amounts of water. You may also have take a
monthly bone medication and depending on what it is it will be administered
through a shot or infusion.
In order for doctors to measure the amount of MM in one’s
body there must be x-rays, PET scans, and even bone marrow biopsies. Periodically
you will also have to take a 24-hour urine to check the protein levels.
Lastly, you must active in your follow-up care. This
includes maintaining a healthy weight, quit smoking, eat clean, stay physically
active ( cardio and weight training because may help slow down those bone lesions along with your medication and keep them strong), and attend your cancer screenings.
I hope you found this informative. Keep your head. Remember when you are weak God is strong! Be blessed!
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